Adapting To Swedish Slow Living

We moved from a London borough to Sweden in December 2023. London boroughs are, as expected, very different from where we live now, which is what I would describe as a small summer lake town.

As a summer lake town it is very quiet in the winter months and some restaurants and shops do not open during that period at all. There are fewer people out and about in general, and whilst there are a lot of winter activities, a lot of people take to what is referred to as hygge or mysa season, which is cosy season. This is a transition in itself when you come from London.

What is Hygge, Mysa and Lagom?

Hygge is a Danish word, defined as:

A quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture), creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people.

Mysa is a Swedish word, defined as:

Mysa translates to English as “cozy”, but it is more than that. It involves being relaxed, taking time out from stress and musts, spending time with friends, and being in the moment, enjoying it with all your senses.

Lagom is a Swedish word, defined as:

Is a unique Swedish term that roughly translates to “just the right amount” or “not too much, not too little.”

Slow Living

When I explain to people where we live now I always describe the town as a small summer town. I will often also refer to our new life and town as slow living. What do I mean by that? The pace of life we now have is very different to when we were in London in a number of ways but some of which include:

• gardening – we have a large garden and now grow rhubarb, apples, herbs and my husband is very particular about the grass. If you live near us you may have had jams, cakes, breads and even flavoured gin as a result!
• travel – my husband and I both have road bikes and mountain bikes but we noticed quickly people here use bikes as a mode of transport and so a recent addition to our bike collection is my everyday bike with basket for going to and from the shops instead of using the car.
• reading – some time back my husband bought me a kindle and whilst I was grateful for this gift it is not the same as a physical book and I have jumped back into reading more.
• new hobbies – I started knitting and now have a matching set of bright pink mittens, neck warmer and scarf as a result and a friend has a blanket too. I also made door wreaths and did a couple of floral embroidery picture that now hang in our hallway. There is always a new jam and a weekly sourdough loaf too.
• embracing nature – I feel as though we always did this, but we are using our new home surroundings to take advantage of exploring new places.
• lagom – it is surprising the lack of keeping up with the jones’ and adapting to this mentality is actually pretty easy.
• work/life balance – getting this right is key, we didn’t move to spend every hour working and not living. We have found it is totally normal in Sweden to start on time, finish on time and use your lunch break, which I will admit I find it difficult to transition to and not because of my company but I feel it is ingrained in me to work until I need to finish something and going through a lunch break is quite usual.
• prioritising – intentionally put more priority on things that make you happy or are most important.

How Am I Finding Slow Living?

Now I appreciate that is not for everyone. Slow living can be uncomfortable with the change feeling like unknown territory. When you are accustomed to a fast paced life the difference can be a lot. You may want the idea of it, it is romanticised online and in social media, but the reality forces an honesty that is not for everyone.

For me it is the balance of slow living, with a regular touch of the buzz of London with visits, then back to the calm. It is ensuring you surround yourself with the people and things you love and striking a balance that works for you.

After moving to Sweden I bought The Nordic Baker book and on her website she has a great article about slow living and articulates it much better than I can.